Mk3 vs mk4

[gooch]

I am new here and just recently became a cobra owner.
I am not 100% sure if mine is a mk3 or mk4. Is there an easy way to tell.
Thanks in advance

[David Hodgkins]

A quick visual guide...

MKIII:
http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=46318&d=1444020979
Perky butt:
http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=24207&d=1386865798


MKIV
http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=46321&d=1444020984
http://i682.photobucket.com/albums/vv190/nukemmc/Mk4%208189/20160505_122053_zps8gtjhkle.jpg

MKIII:
2" roll bar
"perky butt" is 2.5 inches higher in the rear. Trunk comes to a "point" above the License plate. See Black MKIII above)

MKIV:
1.75" roll bar
Entire rear of car behind cockpit is lower
Wheel wells are "tighter"

[gooch]

Thanks!
Mine is a MK3 haha

[David Hodgkins]

Thanks!
Mine is a MK3 haha

Cool!
Also, if you don't know your FFR number it is stamped on the 2" square tube below the steering wheel.

:)

[edwardb]

Probably the single easiest way to tell the difference is the front X-member holding the front suspension, visible by looking under the hood.

Mk3: (Square)
http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab234/edwardb123/Factory%20Five%20Mark%203%20Roadster%20Build/Body%20Off%20First%20Time/IMG_0742.jpg (http://s867.photobucket.com/user/edwardb123/media/Factory%20Five%20Mark%203%20Roadster%20Build/Body%20Off%20First%20Time/IMG_0742.jpg.html)

Mk4: (Round)
http://i867.photobucket.com/albums/ab234/edwardb123/Factory%20Five%20Mark%204%20Roadster%20Build/Update%2005012013/IMG_2089_zps460f6447.jpg (http://s867.photobucket.com/user/edwardb123/media/Factory%20Five%20Mark%204%20Roadster%20Build/Update%2005012013/IMG_2089_zps460f6447.jpg.html)

[MPTech]

MK3 body bolts on outside, behind sidepipes.
Mk3 body bolts inside of front brake ducts, mk4 none.
MK3 Hinges on top of trunk lid, Mk4 hinges hidden inside trunk.
MK4: rolled dash and rear cockpit edges.
MK3: hoodscoop molded into hood, MK4 hood scoop bolt-on.

these are some quick visuals.
now, mk3 and mk3.1 are much more subtle and evolved with time.

[AC Bill]

now, mk3 and mk3.1 are much more subtle and evolved with time.

So this then begs the question, does he have an original MK3, or the slightly more refined Mk3.1 ?:) (or perhaps even a MK2 ?)....

[Brew211]

Do you think there will be an MKV?

[wareaglescott]

Do you think there will be an MKV?

That seems inevitable right?
I have only been around since the MK4 and not before. I would be interested to hear from some long time followers what it was that caused them to stop development on one model and decide to call it the next? Seems like they are continually making small improvements here and there. At what point did they say enough of the MK3 and make it a MK4?

[David Hodgkins]

I have a mole DEEP within FFR and he sent me this image of the new MKV!

|
|
v


|
|
v


|
|
v


|
|
v


|
|
v


|
|
v


|
|
v


|
|
v


|
|
v


|
|
v


|
|
v


|
|
v




http://thefactoryfiveforum.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=66289&d=1491932544

:D

[gooch]

haha good god

[Brew211]

Good one!

[AC Bill]

Needs a new donor. According to an R/T test.

"And there it was, the Mach 5. It was more beautiful than I had imagined. Like millions of kids around the world, I often pretended driving the car. Now, as I strapped on my helmet, pretending-time was seemingly over.

Before jumping into the driver's seat, I took a look at the car's mechanical's. Residing just aft of the front axle was an 8.0-liter quad sequential turbocharged V-12 that pumps out 1700 bhp at 8000 rpm and 1400 lb.-ft. of torque at 5500. A little overkill? Not according to Hobart. "The car is supposed to be able to go 300 mph. And this is what's required to get it there," he said bluntly.

With the Mach 5 tipping the scales at a lean 2455 lb., I addressed a few concerns before firing up the engine. One was aerodynamics: Would the Mach 5 stay on the ground when it reached triple digits? A small spectacled man named Taku reassured me that the car had gone through intense wind-tunnel testing, and it generated more than enough down force to keep it planted even at 300 mph. Okay, how about grip? How do you effectively send this much power to the Mach 5's modest 245/40ZR-18 rear tires? A fellow named Mark wearing a black Yokohama jacket explained that a revolutionary synthetic material gives them the incredible grip of a warm Formula 1 race tire."

[Gumball]

But, remember that builders may negate these changes, so the other hard-to-change bits like the front X member are better tells, as well as just pulling the chassis number off the tube under the steering column and calling FFR.

My Mk3.1 now has...

hidden body side mounts - no bolts
hidden body front mounts - no bolts
inside-the-trunk hinges
rolled cockpit and door edges
bolt-on hood scoop
1 1/2" roll hoop

[MPTech]

I agree Chris, the easiest "tell" is the round x-member. That's a tough one to change!
ALL of the rest are cosmetic and can be changed / upgraded by the builder. (also including the perky butt and trunk lid)
FFR just incorporated the "best of" changes that guys were already making, into the MK4, and continued to improve it after the mk4 was launched. (a few panels were improved and the top access cover for the DS FB was added).
I think the body changes have been the decisive factor stepping from the Mk1, MK2, MK3 (MK3.1?), MK4.

[David Hodgkins]

I agree Chris, the easiest "tell" is the round x-member. That's a tough one to change!
ALL of the rest are cosmetic and can be changed / upgraded by the builder. (also including the perky butt and trunk lid)
FFR just incorporated the "best of" changes that guys were already making, into the MK4, and continued to improve it after the mk4 was launched. (a few panels were improved and the top access cover for the DS FB was added).
I think the body changes have been the decisive factor stepping from the Mk1, MK2, MK3 (MK3.1?), MK4.

Actually the body shape remained the same (with various gel coat colors but that's another subject) for MKI, II and III...

:)

[MPTech]

Thanks David, I was speaking more specifically of the hood, doors, and trunk lid with the inside supports, metal frames and inner panels.

[David Hodgkins]

Thanks David, I was speaking more specifically of the hood, doors, and trunk lid with the inside supports, metal frames and inner panels.

Sorry bud, I misread the post.

You're right the MK stepup coincided with substantial changes to the frame, etc.

:)